Difference between Sunni and Shi’a Islam
Islam has two main divisions, the Sunni and the Shi’a. Other divisions exist in other countries, such as the Sufi and the nation of Islam, but the Sunni and Shi’a Muslims are the largest groups. Both the Sunni and Shi’a are staunch followers of Islam. They share many of the religious principles, and they follow the teachings in the Quran. They observe similar religious practices, such as religious days. However, the two groups differ in considerable ways. The differences between the two groups emerged in the seventh century as a political conflict. The two groups differed on the issue of leadership because they did not agree on who should be the leader after the death of Prophet Muhammad (Roald 127). The Sunnis recognize the role of caliphs who were not related to Prophet Muhammad, while the Shi’a do not. Since then, the two groups have differed on the role of leaders, and they differ on some of their religious practices and ideologies.
The Sunni and the Shi’a differed on who would succeed Prophet Muhammad. The Shi’a argued that only Ali, who was Muhammad’s son in law, would succeed him. They claimed that Ali was the right heir and successor to Muhammad. Other Muslims differed, and they appointed caliphs as leaders. The Sunni believe that the caliphs are “elected guardians of the prophetic legacy” (Pratt 52). They accept the first four caliphs, and believe that the early Islamic community appointed them. The Shi’a Muslims follower the doctrine of imamate, which they believe is divinely inspired (67). They regard Ali as the first imam. They believe that the imam is divinely inspired, and must be a direct descendant of Ali. The Shi’a do not accept the first three caliphs. The Sunnis follow the Sunnah of the prophet, while the Shi’a have their own variation of the Sunnah. Although the two groups follow the sharia law, they have different principles. The Shi’a have their own variations and schools of the sharia.
Sunnis and Shi’a have different religious customs. The Sunnis use the four law systems, while the Shi’a use their hadith. The Shi’a believe in the teaching and direction of the imam, who also interprets the hadith (67). They observe their religion at shrines and pilgrimages. The Shi’a practice different rituals around the tombs of the saints and the martyrs. They believe that doing so is part of the Islamic customs and beliefs. This is not common among the Sunnis. Shi’a and Sunnis have different perspectives concerning saints. The Sunnis believe that humans have a direct relationship with God, and that they do not need any intermediaries. The Shi’a do not rule out the role of imams as intermediaries between people and God. Both groups fast during the month of Ramadan, but the Shi’a are more lenient on the rules (Pratt 52-53).
The Shi’a and Sunnis differ in some of their religious practices. For instance, one of the fundamental practices of the Islamic faith is prayer. Muslims believe that one ought to pray five times a day. However, the Shi’a combine some of the prayers, and they pray three times daily. Because of their belief in Muhammad, the Shi’a have hierarchical form of leadership. The Sunni Muslims do not have a hierarchical leadership. The Shiite Muslims fund religious institutions by contributing khums, in addition to zakat. The khum is 20% of a person’s annual excess income. Sunni Muslims only contribute the zakat. They get donations from communities. In religious states, the Sunni are funded by the state. Some fundamental differences concerning the nature of the Quran and the interpretations of the holy book exist between the two groups. Muslims who have a Shi’a background or those who are sympathetic with the Shi’a support the idea that the Quran is created (Roald 131). Moreover, the two groups differ co
Works Cited
BBC. Sunni and Shi’a. “British Broadcasting Cooperation.” 2009. Web. 30 May 2012.
Pratt, Douglas. The Challenge of Islam: Encounters in Interfaith Dialogue. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2005. Print
Roald, S. Anne. New Muslims in the European Context: The Experience of Scandinavian Converts. The Netherlands: BRILL, 2004. Print
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